情けありし昔のみなほ忍ばれて
長らへまうき世にも経るかな
長らへまうき世にも経るかな
- Roma-ji
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Nasake arishi mukashi nomi nao shinobarete nagaraemauki yo ni mo furu kana
- English Translation
-
Only the old days
when there was kindness in the world
I long for still,
and in a world I'd not live on in
I linger on, passing my days.
- Meaning
- Longing still only for the old days when there was kindness in the world, I go on living in a world I have no wish to live on in.
- Commentary
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Book Eighteen Miscellaneous Poems III 1842
Headnote continued from the preceding poem: "Topic unknown."
This is the first of the poems on past and present. He longs only for the old days when there was kindness, and still passes his days in a world he has no wish to live on in. Lamenting a present age that has lost its kindness, he tells of his longing for the past.
The author, "Saigyō Hōshi," is Saigyō. His lay name was Satō Norikiyo; he served Retired Emperor Toba as a guard of the Northern Quarters but took vows while young. He traveled the provinces composing poems, and his personal collection is the Sankashū.
The first line, "nasake arishi," means "when there was kindness." It has six syllables, one over the norm.
The second line, "mukashi nomi nao," means "only the past, still."
The third line, "shinobarete," means "longed for." "Re" is spontaneous, echoing "shinobaremu" in the next poem.
The fourth line, "nagaraemauki," means "not wishing to live on." "Maushi" is an auxiliary meaning "unwilling to." It also answers the first line of the next poem, "nagaraeba."
In the last line, "yo ni mo furu kana," "kana" is exclamatory. It closes with the grief of one living on in a world that has lost its kindness.
- Author
- Saigyō
- Source
- Shin Kokin Wakashu
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Ukiyo o ba izuru hi goto ni itoedomo itsuka wa tsuki no iru kata o mimu
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Nagaraeba mata kono goro ya shinobaremu ushi to mishi yo zo ima wa koishiki